TUSCALOOSA - The top-rated passer not only in the Southeastern Conference but the nation will showcase his talent Saturday when top-ranked Alabama and No. 10 Arkansas meet in Fayetteville, Ark.

Oh, and Ryan Mallett will play, too.

The Razorbacks' strong-armed senior quarterback is considered the best passer in the SEC, but Alabama's Greg McElroy leads the nation in passing efficiency.

Through three games, McElroy has a rating of 200.03. Mallett ranks fifth in the nation with a rating of 186.5.

It might take a Rhodes Scholarship candidate to understand and explain how those ratings are computed. Let it suffice to say that a high completion percentage helps, and interceptions hurt.

Mallett has completed 70 of 100 passes for a .700 completion percentage. He has had two passes intercepted.

Not bad. But McElroy is better. He has completed 43 of 60 passes for a .717 completion percentage. He has had one pass intercepted. That ended a string of 149 consecutive passes without an interception, dating eight games ago to a Nov. 7, 2009 victory over LSU.

Mallett has the edge in touchdown passes with nine to McElroy's six, but McElroy has an edge in touchdown percentage (a factor in the passing efficiency rating). His rate is 10 percent, compared to Mallett's 9 percent rate.

Mallett has thrown for 1,081 yards, far more than McElroy's 705. But McElroy is averaging 11.75 yards per attempt compared to Mallett's 10.81 average.

"I've got to continue to strive for perfection," McElroy said Saturday after throwing for 258 yards and three touchdowns Saturday in a 62-13 victory at Duke, "and we need to demand excellence from ourselves."

"I feel good," he said. "Just a few little things we've got to get ironed out ... mistakes that can hurt you down the road. We will. I'm not worried about it. It's early in the year. We've got to remind ourselves of that. Those little mistakes can get you hurt down the road."

A year ago, McElroy upstaged Mallett in Alabama's 35-7 victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Mallett completed 12 of 35 passes for 160 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked three times. Alabama recorded eight quarterback hurries.

In only his fourth game as a college starter, McElroy completed 17 of 24 passes for 291 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked once and hurried twice. His touchdown passes included an 80-yard strike to Marquis Maze and a 50-yard pass to Julio Jones on a trick play.

Arkansas' defense dared McElroy to pass as it focused on slowing running back Mark Ingram, who ran 17 times for only 50 yards.

The defense Mallett will face is talented but not as experienced as the one that harassed him last season. The potential is there for a shootout.

"We're looking forward to the challenge," McElroy said. "Our goal is to dominate the SEC. We feel good about where we stand. We've done a good job these first three games. We've got to step it up another notch next week."